Trauma-Informed Mindfulness in the Plum Village Tradition of Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh
EMBRACE: A Love Letter about Trauma-Informed Mindfulness
Beloved Plum Village Family,
At times we come to Sangha feeling deep joy and resilience. At times we come to Sangha with deep suffering and feelings of helplessness. Practicing with our Sangha family can strengthen our joy and peace, and also ease our suffering. We are all welcome at each moment.
Whenever our suffering begins to overwhelm our practice, as a Sangha family we can share Trauma-Informed practices and resources with each other. Overwhelm can arise for newcomers to our traditions as well as for seasoned practitioners. Trauma-informed offerings can benefit our Sangha practice as well as our at-home practice. In this way, we offer a gentle loving embrace and acceptance of all that is. We strengthen resilience for each one of us and for our community as well.
Trauma impacts our nervous system deeply. Our routines and our nervous system can become dysregulated. Being still with a quiet mind may not be possible or bring us peace or joy. Perhaps we find sitting meditation brings more discomfort than ease. We can find peace, ease, and freedom with other ways to practice mindfulness, walking, moving, and changing our anchor or focus point.
We understand that all beings encounter moments of trauma. No delusion. No ignorance. With kindness and equanimity, we share these resources to nourish Interbeing and transform our suffering. We welcome your contributions and reflections to this expanding list of suggestions and resources.
With a deep bow,
The Embrace Sangha